SAN ANTONIO — Don Mischer has produced enough awards telecasts in the past three decades — from the Tonys to the Emmys to the Oscars — to know what's crucial for a good night: high spirits all around, he said, and “keeping the show moving and paced really well.”

“It's the mood in the room that makes the difference,” Mischer, who has produced too many Emmy shows to count — including Monday's broadcast — told TV critics at a press session last month.

Critical to this fun element is a strong host. Of course he should be funny, Mischer said, but also comfortable and in love with television.

Seth Meyers will be “tremendous,” he added. “He's done a lot of live television, so he can roll with the punches and pick up on things that go wrong.”

The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will air on NBC at 8 p.m. Monday.

“I'm limited by the fact that I can't sing or dance,” said Meyers, a 13-season vet of “Saturday Night Live” and currently the host of NBC's “Late Night.” “So I have to tell jokes.”

However, he's not interested in slinging jab after jab a la Ricky Gervais. His humor will be “more playful than cutting or biting,” he said.

Meyers also stressed the importance of a lively opening monologue.

“Having been a nominee and a guest of the Emmys in the audience,” he said, “that first 10 minutes is the best time to get the audience to laugh, because as the night progresses, more and more people are disappointed.”

For now, everyone's a potential winner. Here are some Emmy picks and predictions:

Likely winners: “Breaking Bad” (AMC) and its absolutely brilliant swan song episodes. Also deserving is “True Detective” and its courageous storytelling. And it was cool to see “Game of Thrones” get a nod, a rarity for a fantasy series. But “Bad” was just too good to beat.

I'm rooting for: “Breaking Bad.” At a time when we're routinely dissatisfied with series endings, this one was a shining exception.

Likely winners: Cranston, who lost to Daniels last year, should be a shoo-in. However, he's got formidable competition in McConaughey, whose TV series debut as a philosophical homicide detective was nothing short of mesmerizing.

I'm rooting for: Cranston, who forever seared Walter White into our brains with his powerhouse of a performance.